The first instalment of the Maxifoot feature on the history of French clubs’ UEFA coefficients focuses on Stade de Reims, which was the very first French club to shine in European competition. Indeed, the Champagne-based side were one of the leading teams at the dawn of the European football era.
True to the sparkling wine for which its region is famous, Stade de Reims first made a splash on the European stage… before the bubbles began to fizzle out. Ranked 15th among French clubs in the all-time UEFA coefficient standings, SDR accumulated nearly 95% of its total points before 1964.
Enough, nonetheless, to remain at the top of the French club rankings until the mid-1970s, with the rise of AS Saint-Étienne. Moreover, during its heyday, the Champagne-based club paid the price for the low valuation of its performances at the time.
Two European Cup finals lost to Real Madrid
Given that they were right at the source, did the Reims players perhaps pop the cork a little too soon? If so, they will have learnt the hard way to put the champagne back in the bottle, having come so close to securing the first European title in the history of French football—and of football itself. Unlucky runners-up in the European Cup in 1956 and 1959, Reims lost on both occasions to Alfredo Di Stéfano’s already all-powerful Real Madrid. The first of the two finals still leaves a bitter taste: Reims were leading 2-0 after 10 minutes of play, and 3-2 with 25 minutes to go, before losing 4-3.
Since then, Reims have been Eurosceptics
Across the two campaigns that took the club to the final, Stade de Reims picked up just 28 points, according to the retrospective statistical reconstruction. By today’s standards, the club could have hoped for at least twice that. Reims’ European history has not progressed much further: following its last appearance in the Champions League in 1963–64, Reims made a brief return to the limelight in 2020, only to be swiftly eliminated in the Europa League qualifiers. Chronologically, the club was to be upstaged by AS Saint-Étienne.
Transfer news: Konaté on the verge of joining Real Madrid
With his contract at Liverpool coming to an end, Ibrahima Konaté is heading to Real Madrid. The French centre-back has reached a verbal agreement with the Spanish club.
Is Ibrahima Konaté heading to Spain? Following Sunday’s confirmation that he will leave Liverpool at the end of his contract, the 27-year-old centre-back is reportedly very close to joining Real Madrid.
As announced on Tuesday by journalist Fabrizio Romano, a verbal agreement has been reached between the French international and Los Blancos. The Frenchman is expected to sign for the Spanish capital for the next four seasons, until June 2030, provided president Florentino Pérez is re-elected next Sunday.
Talks have been ongoing for several months
Konaté’s move to the Spanish capital would not come as a real surprise. The Madrid link had already been mooted several months ago, before fading when the defender appeared to be edging closer to a contract extension with Liverpool. Ultimately, the failure to reach an agreement between the centre-back and the Reds has reshuffled the deck.
